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Sunday, January 31, 2016

Unfortunately I won't have anything in the Emporium this month, hopefully I will next month. My surgery is scheduled for this Friday and I haven't been in my studio for about 5 months, I want to get back in there!

Friday, January 22, 2016

Hi again, this is the third and final part of the decorations that I did for Christmas 2015.

This is the cast iron urn at the entrance to our home. Energy efficient lights are great but I end up using more of them in order to get enough light so that people can find there way to the front door and not trip.

As soon as enter our front door this display of gold frames, ranunculus, and evergreens are there to greet you, I am very pleased with how it turned out.

I pick up old gold picture frames for display, there is a certain look to them that is very appealing and I don't mind if they are damaged. The damage may or may not be hidden, it depends on what is happening in the display.

Three vintage Christmas aprons are on the wall to the entrance to the kitchen.

This year's photo booth for the party is pastries, ice cream, and sugared fruit. The pink and white striped fabric is an old seer-sucker table cloth. I have used it many times, it reminds me of cakes, pastries, and candy, I love it.

The night of the party the door is taken off of its hinges so that people can come and go easily.

Just as you come into the living room from the hall is the live tree; I don't know if people see it at all because there is so much to look at.

The tree is decorated with vintage and handmade decorations. Our live tree has been decorated like this every year since we were married. New decorations have been added as we bought them and some have been given to our kids for their trees.

The lanterns and garlands go up adding the finishing touch to the decorating. My motto is, "To much is never enough." The decorating becomes an Aladdin's Cave of Delights, overwhelming with treasures to be found if you look. It is very much a sensory delight.

I love this Japanese Santa lantern, what am I saying, there are quite a few of the lanterns that are my favourites!

The metal serving tray on the ledge belonged to some friends that had donated it to St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop where I purchased it; they didn't think that I would be interested but I am glad to have been able to purchase it.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

The antique buffet that belonged to my Dad's parents is turned into a forest. The two 4 foot trees that I made go on the top shelf of the buffet along with a 3 foot vintage feather tree.

The main area of the buffet has a forest of bristle brush trees with a few cardboard houses in front of them. We used to do a large village on the buffet but we needed an area to place goodies to eat so in front of the small housing development we have vintage glass ware with coloured mini lights around them. The glass sparkles and looks wonderful whether the dishes are filled with cookies or not.

The feather tree on the left is decorated with all things celluloid; decorations, toys, tape measures, and baby rattles. It is then trimmed with a gold tinsel and red cellophane garland.

Beside the celluloid tree is an old chromolithograph nativity scene that belonged to my Mum. Trees are tucked in any empty space to give the effect of a forest.

The vintage feather tree has assorted antique and vintage decorations on it. The egg that is just behind the cotton batting Santa is from a girl in my grade 5 class in 1958. When we were taking down our class Christmas tree I traded some foil covered paper icicles for two decorated blown eggs. The clown head is Italian, I am not certain if it is a Christmas decoration but there is a cloth loop for hanging so it works for me.

The last feather tree is decorated with cotton batting birds, cotton batting fruit, cotton batting bells and is trimmed with a thick red 1940s chenille rope.

The other blown egg decoration is hanging beside the Italian clown.

The third and final part of our Christmas decorations will be coming shortly.

Monday, January 18, 2016

Well, hello there! Here is part 1 of the decorations that I put up for Christmas 2015. I started decorating early in November and was still putting up decorations a few days before our big party that was a week before Christmas. It was slow going, normally all of the decorating would be done in about a week or less, see the previous post if you haven't read it already and that will explain the reason for the slow progress.

I was given two vintage Christmas tins by my friend Karen last summer so I decided to display as many of the tins that I have room for. Some were used as risers on the mantle.

I decided to get out my collection of plastic reindeer, I didn't realize that I had enough to decorate the big feather tree. Along with the reindeer are 40's and 50's silver foil and red cellophane covered paper candy canes, Santas in sleighs, and a few other items that carry out the unintentional red and white colour theme.

I try to decorate the tree with a different theme each year. I can feature decorations that otherwise might never be put out due to lack of space.

If you would like to see past year's mantle and tree decorations click on the following links, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2009.

At the foot of the white urn the tree is standing in is one of my favourite tins, a British biscuit tin from Macfarlane, Lang and Co. Ltd. Beside the biscuit tin and on the hearth are boxes of vintage lights.

Tucked behind the large tree and the fireplace is this cluster of goodies. I love the scalloped paraffin covered paper ice cream dishes beside the jolly Santa candy container. In behind the Santa is a fold of Dennison crepe paper.

Looking down onto the vintage marble topped table are more Christmas tins and three pin back badges. In behind the tin with the skier is a box of Jule Lys, Christmas candles.

We no longer use the fireplace so I can place things on top of the glass fireplace doors.

Here is a close look at the left side of the mantle.

The centre section of the mantle; the tins add height and drama to the display.

The right-hand side of the mantle.

Tucked in behind the feather tree is my computer desk, piled high with lots of neat stuff to keep me company.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Well, this was supposed to be posted on New Year's Eve but better late than never!

I don't normally air any health or personal issues on my blog or Facebook but I haven't been in my studio since September and wanted to let everyone know why I have been out of the loop.

Last September I was diagnosed with prostate problems and was put on a waiting list for surgery; that will happen on February 5. I also have a hernia that occurred at the same time as the prostate issue; that will be dealt with after the prostate operation.

I spent New Year's Day in emergency at the hospital trying to pass a kidney stone; I still haven't passed it.All of this adds up to discomfort and exhaustion not excessive pain; everything takes longer to do than it normally would. I am doing very well, all things considered. All of the work that was going to be done last year is now on this year's agenda.And keeping in vein of better late than never I will be posting lots of pics of our Christmas decorations from 2015.

The images and writing on this blog belong to me unless I have given credit to the original creator. If you would like to use any part of my blog please credit me - Len Bentham/Happy Holidays with a link back to this blog. Let me know if you use anything from my blog, I'd love to read it! I can be contacted at lenbenny@shaw.ca. Thanks a lot, Len Bentham.